Surface Specialists Systems Inc.

Surface Specialists knows how to keep its dedicated franchisees satisfied.

By Alan Dorich

Surface Specialists Systems Inc. takes on the bathtub repair projects that its competitors avoid. “I can fix a hole [in a tub] as big as your head,” President and CEO Dan Kaplan declares. “When I’m done, you wouldn’t be able to find it.”

The company even fixes tubs that have cracked in half. “Not too many people would tackle that kind of damage,” he says. “Some would run away.”

Based in Matthews, N.C., Surface Specialists also offers repair services for showers, sinks, counters, and other bath and kitchen surfaces. Founder Wayne McClosky started the company in 1981 and began franchising the concept a year later.

Initially, Surface Specialists’ franchises focused on repair and pattern matching services for plastic laminate counter tops and spot repairs for damaged fiberglass and porcelain bath ware surfaces. But the company branched out when it saw the potential to expand its services.

Kaplan joined the company in 1989 when he purchased a franchise from McClosky. The concept of Surface Specialists, Kaplan notes, appealed to him personally. “I like fixing things,” he says.

Over time, Kaplan grew his franchise to be the largest in the Surface Specialists chain. Today, he owns the company, which now has 44 franchise locations that set themselves apart with service.

“There are a lot of guys who can fix a chip in a tub,” he says, but asserts that Surface Specialists can fix any type of structural damage. “If the bottom is bad, we can correct that.”

The company also represents more than 80 manufacturers across the United States and provides strong refinishing services for tubs. “I’ve seen them last as long as 20 to 25 years before they have to have them redone again,” Kaplan says.

Happy Franchisees

Under Kaplan’s leadership, Surface Specialists has won recognition from Franchise Business Review (FBR). For the past eight years, the company was a repeat winner of the Franchise Satisfaction Award, which is based on how happy franchisees are with the company.

In fact, the company has franchisees signed up to 30-year agreements. “If they follow our systems, they can make quite a bit of money,” he says. “It comes down to the individual and how motivated they are.”

Kaplan himself is an example of how the company’s franchisees can succeed. “I built up [my business] to where I was doing a million dollars a year,” he recalls. “You can have some great success if you follow what we do.”

Meeting Needs

Surface Specialists offers its franchisees flexibility in the services they offer, Kaplan says. All provide the repair and refinishing of tubs and countertops, but the franchisees can select what other services best fit the needs of their local market.

The franchisees also can get creative with their service, which has included converting a tub to a shower. While removing a tub and installing a shower can cost up to $5,000 for clients, “We can cut out the front of the tub to make it into a shower for a fraction of that cost,” he says.

The company has performed this for elderly clients and added a step through insert that makes it easy for them to walk into the tub. “[That’s] what sets us apart: what we can do to a bathtub and what we’re not afraid to do to a bathtub,” he says.

Surface Specialists also allows the franchisees to hit price points to meet its clients’ needs. For example, if a customer cannot afford a $5,000 tub replacement, “We can install an acrylic bathtub liner and wall system that’s $2,500,” he says.

But if they cannot afford that, “We can refinish the tub and install an acrylic wall system for about $1,500,” Kaplan says. “If they say, ‘That’s still too much, Dan,’ we can refinish both the tub and the walls for $900. We can offer whatever meets the customers’ needs.”

Fully Equipped

When a franchisee pays $36,000 to open a Surface Specialists location, the company makes sure to provide them with the right support. For example, “We give them all the equipment to be able to provide all the services we offer,” Kaplan says.

The company will even fly new franchisees to its headquarters and cover lodging on its own dime so they can attend two weeks of training. “We also give them letterhead, business cards and brochures,” he adds.

But Surface Specialists will ask them to buy their own office equipment and computers. “The other thing we suggest is that they have six months of personal income,” he adds.

The company also provides them with a marketing plan within their two weeks of training, but provides them with freedom to execute it. “We give them the knowledge and tools, but it’s ultimately up to them to get it going,” Kaplan says.

Surface Specialists also creates and maintains a free web page for each new franchise when their location opens. “We also send letters to all the manufacturers [introducing] the new office,” he says. “We have a solid reputation and if they need repairs, they will call our franchisees.”

Assigned Territories

Surface Specialists awards its franchisees designated territories that are determined by county boundaries and population. Often, it will award them territories of up to 2 million people.

“We won’t give somebody 30 counties, because obviously, they won’t be able to service that,” Kaplan admits, but notes that the franchisees are not forbidden to serve people beyond their designated areas. “They’re allowed to go outside their territories, provided there’s not a franchise there.”

Sharing Success

Kaplan is proud of his franchisees. “Their success is my success,” he says, noting that he enjoys seeing them start with nothing and grow their business. “I get a lot of satisfaction from somebody else’s success that I was able to help.”

He sees a strong future for Surface Specialists. Although there have been some occasional slowdowns, “The market has been strong for the last four years,” he says. “We’ve lined up a couple new marketing strategies to try to generate more sales and expand the business.”

This will include the addition of new franchises. “We’re always trying to expand what we do,” he says, noting that it looks for blue-collar franchisees with a business mindset. “We have to go through quite a few leads to find that right candidate.”

Rave Reviews

Surface Specialists’ satisfied franchisees include Russ Stark, owner of Surface Specialists of Arrowhead Country in Wrenshall, Minn. “Owning a Surface Specialists franchise has been a fantastic career choice and a great way to make a living,” he said in a statement.

Stark entered the bathtub repair business at the age of 18. “Four years later, I was introduced to Surface Specialists and was extremely surprised by not only how much more there was to offer here, but also by how much higher quality there was to the materials, processes and scope of work that Surface Specialists offers,” he said.

Stark has been pleased by the support he has received. “The Systems office has always been easy to reach, easy to talk to, and ready to help at all times,” he added. “I’ve never felt in the dark about anything and have always felt them to be open to any discussion.”

Ray Piedt, co-owner of Surface Specialists of Charlotte, N.C., became a franchisee after 20 years in the information technology/project management field. “It was a lot of work, but with the close guidance and recipe for business success of the franchisor, the business selection has definitely been a great decision for my wife and myself,” he commented.

“The Surface Specialists Systems Inc. team provides great, continual support when needed and they are always looking for new products and services that we can provide,” Piedt said. “The opportunities to grow my business have always been there.”

Boyce and Carol Cole, owners of Surface Specialists of Myrtle Beach, S.C., also praise the company. “Obviously, our background in the construction/remodeling business was a plus for us, but we still had no experience with any of the diverse services that Surface Specialists offers, in contrast to the remodeling business, which can drag on for months with each job,” they said.

“We were drawn to the structure of this business, in that you can satisfy a customer in a very short time, be the hero, then move on to help your next customer,” the Coles added.

Sidebar 1:

Ideal Traits

Surface Specialists Systems Inc. looks for key traits in each franchisee. “Though experiences in some sort of a hands-on field is beneficial, it is not required,” the company says. “Our franchise owners come from all walks of life, including serving in the military, repairing copy machines, running a bread route and an information technology manager, just to name a few.”

Some of the physical requirements Surface Specialists looks for are:

*Good manual dexterity;

*The ability to complete home repairs; and

*An eye for detail.

The company also requires specific personality traits, including:

*Honesty and trustworthiness;

*Determination and confidence; and

*The ability to take direction.

Finally, Surface Specialists looks for several business traits, including:

*The managerial skills to operate a business;

*The willingness to set and achieve goals; and

*The ability to offer strong customer service.

Sidebar 2:

Like New

Surface Specialists offers an array of options to give new life to older bathtubs. In the area of repairs, the company can fix chips, dings, stains, cracks and other tub damage for fiberglass, acrylic, porcelain and cast iron bathtubs.

For example, when cracks appear in the floor of a tub, an overlay is necessary. “Through the process of an overlay, additional support is given to the bottom of the tub and a fiberglass panel is adhered to the existing surface,” the company says.

Surface Specialists’ refinishing services also are an effective way to renew tubs when they have a worn finish or damage over the surface. “Bathtub refinishing or re-glazing can be finished in approximately four to five hours, and you may begin using the resurfaced bathtub by the next evening, saving you a significant amount of time and money over other remodeling options,” the company says.

The re-finished tubs, it notes, will have a glossy finish and be as durable, if not stronger than, the original surface. “There will be no mess for you to clean up and tub refinishing can be offered in virtually any color,” Surface Specialists says.

The company also offers remodeling services, which include acrylic bathtub liners and wall liners. These are a good choice when customers are looking for a more permanent solution than refinishing. “Since acrylic tub liners, shower liners and wall systems also work with your existing structures, you save time and money by avoiding costly tear out and full replacement,” it says.

Each shower and tub insert is custom molded to fit over the customer’s bathtub or shower pan. “Once measurements are taken and your tub or shower is identified, liners are created by thermo-forming a one-fourth-inch thick sheet of acrylic to an exact mold of your bathtub or shower, ensuring the bathtub liner or shower liner is a perfect fit over the existing tub or shower,” the company says.